When Darkness Falls
by evilduckling
Summary: Regina's heart is breaking and she falls back into her old evil queen persona, so she goes after the one who ruined her happiness: Emma Swan. Unfolds after Robin chooses Marian, and Regina is left alone. Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

Started something new, will probably be multi-chapters.  
>Based it on a spoiler saying the Evil Queen will appear in Storybrooke and then my mind went from there and it turned into this.<p>

I do not own any characters, but the story is mine.

* * *

><p>Her heart is breaking, as she stands alone in the darkening forest. She is barely breathing but keeps her head high, standing regal and tall. She is broken into million of pieces and she can feel herself falling apart with every breath she takes. It hurts. It hurts to finally realize that the man she loves will not be with her because he is with his wife, like he is supposed to be. He had taken her advice and forgotten about the love they shared, made his choice and now she was standing where he left her, alone and broken, with nobody to love. She curses herself for thinking she ever loved him because what if she never really did. What if she doesn't love him and that's the problem, why he left. Is she capable of loving another person? She loves the idea of being with her soul mate so much that she wants to cry out loud now that it is clear it's not going to happen. No happy ever after for Regina Mills. She is bound to be alone; it is her curse.<p>

She clenches her jaw and bites the inside of her cheek, tasting iron in her mouth and she cringes as the bitter taste of blood reaches her taste buds. It fades away as a tear slowly slips from her eyes and creeps its way down her cheek. She tastes salt as it reaches her lips, slowly swallowing her pride as she breaks. When tears stream down her face she desperately tries to keep herself together, to remain poised.

She turns to anger, letting that old familiar feeling seep through her veins. She feels it trickle through every ounce of her body and this time she chooses to let it win. As if she has a choice? The darkness always wins over her so she lets it rush over. It hits her like a cold November rain; it's hard to hold on to something good when everything hurts. She was seething now, loathing at the very thought of how foolish she must seem. How naive and gullible could she be for thinking someone could ever love her? The evil queen. A villain. She's always going to be just that, and villains do not get happy endings.

Her eyes goes dark with fury as the feeling is now strongly built up within her and so she starts to move. Away from the goddamn forest, away from the trees. She wants to seek out for everyone who ever did her wrong; especially for the one person she absolutely loathes the most right now. Three steps and she furiously throws her arms around her and magics herself to another place, away from that sickening forest smell.

As dark, purple smoke dissolves around her she's dressed in a new attire. The tight black bodice makes it hard to breathe, because it is easier to blame the corset for the lack of air instead of blaming her hurting heart. She walks through the street, keeping steady on her high heels as the wind captures her cape, ignoring the cold against her dark leather pants.

She reaches the diner quickly, and she stands outside contemplating what her next move is going to be. Inflict fear or create chaos or both? She smirks as she conjures a fireball, satisfactory watching it build up. She throws it away in anger, hitting the neon sign hanging over the restaurant, making it crash down on the cold hard ground with a large bang. It breaks into pieces like her heart had done earlier and now it hurts even more.

She swallows thickly, and builds up another fireball, hoping the hurt would stop.

There's a woman running out of the diner and she glares at her with furious eyes, feeling the fireball in her hand glow even darker, the yellow shifting into a dark blood orange color, reflecting the current state of her mood.

"You," she hisses through clenched teeth. "You did this."

She want to throw the fireball and conjure a million more, to let the darkness win over her completely, to be nothing more than an evil queen because what in this world was worth fighting for? This particular moment seems familiar, too familiar. She's been here before, with the younger woman looking at her like she is doing right now. She sees the despair and pleads in the emerald green eyes but she doesn't compel any excuse for her behaviour, she just glares, with a hint of a smirk on her face, her eyes glowing just like the fireball in her hand.

The blonde now approaches her with quick steps and all Regina wants to do is throw the fireball but she's conflicted. Because all she wants right now is to have the younger woman removed from earth in this instant. Yet, she cannot throw it, something buried underneath all the darkness is telling her it's wrong.

"Regina, what the-" Emma Swan looks around with a confused face, looking utterly annoyed with what just happened.

"Miss Swan," Regina sweeps her hand, and magically starts to choke the blonde sheriff, smirking as she does. "You should've left for Boston when I told you to."

She starts to squeeze, remorseless, evil eyes dead set on her target, anger fuelling her to the very fingertips and her grip tightens around the blonde's neck. The younger woman attempts to speak, desperately calling out Regina's name but the word dies on pale lips as they choke on air.

"Regina," is the only thing escaping Emma's mouth followed by a low pleading 'please', but the heartbroken woman shows no mercy. She squeezes until tears start to fall down her cheeks because no matter how much she wants to do it, she simply can't.

Weak. She feels weak and gets frustrated, and her chokehold doesn't grow any tighter, instead it loosens up and before she knows it, she let's go. She's unable to hide the sorrow on her face, and looks straight into green orbs as her tears stream down her face yet again.

She watches the blonde regain strength but doesn't make an attempt to move or defend herself. She's done. Crying in public like a common fool, displaying her heartbreak and weakness for everyone to see. As if that wasn't enough, the pixie haired woman and her uncharming husband comes rushing out of the diner to the rescue. Better late than never, she thinks, and scoffs as she tries to swallow her tears.

Before the two idiots reach Emma, Regina swiftly marches up to the blonde and grabs her arm, a movement that startles the younger woman. In a blink of an eye, they both vanish into nothingness, leaving a trial of purple smoke behind.

They end up in the forest, it's almost dark now and it makes the trees look big and uninviting. Regina pushes the other woman to the ground. "You!" She hisses. "I should finish you off right now," she conjures a fireball, making it glow in her hand, builds it up, ready for combat.

"Regina, I can explain."

"Explain how you ruined my happiness? I finally have something good, a little flicker of hope, and you waltz in with your heroic quest to save the day and ruins it." She makes a movement, threatening to throw the glowing ball of fire in her hand. "I want you erased from this universe."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"He left me!" She shouts angrily and feels the vein in her forehead pop. "Just like everyone else!"

"Regina." Emma takes a step towards the broken queen.

"No, you don't get to speak, Swan. One more step and I'll throw it."

"The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt you. I just wanted to save a life."

She scoffs. "You just wanted to save a life? While you saved a life you ruined another one. Of course it had to be _my_ life you ruined. You haven't done anything but get in my way since the moment you set your foot in this damn town. I want you gone."

She throws the fireball in rage, her blood boiling out of anger as she let the magic blast towards the blonde, who manages to throw herself on the hard ground and escape the fireball.

"You're such a pathetic waste of ability, Miss Swan. You can't even conjure magic when your life is in danger." Regina mocks with a smug grin on her face. "Poor saviour, can't even save herself."

"Regina, stop this. Think of Henry, please."

The mention of her sons name makes her stop her next movement, she pauses mid-air with her arm and the fireball she's conjuring immediately disappears. Her heart aches at the thought of her sweet boy. All she wants is to be a hero, but what is the point? She wants to be good but not in this very moment. She wants to throw the blonde around with magic, take out all her anger and frustration on this insufferable woman who continually ruins her happiness. She yells out in frustration and rushes forward, crashing her body into the blonde. A hard slap echoes through the forest, and she stills her hand when she realizes what she's done.

The blonde touches her own cheek as it reddens from the impact of the evil queen's hand and she looks hurt and shocked at the same time.

Regina immediately gets off the younger woman, and cries as she sits on the ground, not giving a damn that she is crying in her regal attire. The corset makes it so hard to breathe that she chokes on her own sobs, not caring that the black cape gets stains of dirt on it. She's broken. She's falling, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness like she has so many times before. It consumes her as she cries, letting all her despair and hurt eat her up from inside.

She feels a hand on her shoulder and she flinches. She pulls away when she feels the hand being gentle and warm, not wanting affection, especially not from the blonde saviour. She looks away and curses this godforsaken place, with its long pines and thick bushes. The darkness of the gloaming night sky consumes the forest as the darkness consumes her heart but this time she wants to fight it but she's too weak. It is hard when darkness falls.

She feels that hand on her shoulder again and the sheriff's soft, pleading voice utters her name so she snaps out of her despair for a moment and looks up.

Her eyes meet green and they linger there for a moment, trying to read the emotions in them as they stare back. It's so silent and she can hear her heart beat in her chest because the sobs are stilling and she's calmer now.

"Regina, please."

She's too tired to object, her mind and soul too worn out to even think out something to say, so she listens.

"This isn't you. This is not the Regina I know. I get that you're hurt. And I'm so sorry for bringing Marian back but I didn't know. It was stupid yes, because I altered time and changed things but I do not regret saving a life."

Regina frowns and clenches her jaw. Oh how she wants to shoot back with fire but she is still trying to breathe in the tight dress, so she remains silent.

"I'm sorry Robin Hood went back to his wife; sorry he broke your heart. But that choice is on him, that he chose her, not you. Be as mad as you want, hate me all you want, but that decision he made is not on me."

Her hands are clawing dirt as she listens to the blonde, as she hears the name of the man that broke her heart, and she feels sick.

"I get that you're upset, that you hate me but I don't think you're capable to kill me."

It's too much, enough of this. She snaps and breaks free from the blonde and swiftly gets on her feet and is followed by the blonde. "How dare you?" She hisses. "You have no idea what I'm capable of!"

"You've changed, Regina. You're not the evil queen anymore. You may be looking like her right now but I know she's gone."

"You don't know me, Swan."

"I'd like to think that I do."

"You. Don't. Know. Me."

"I know you love Henry with all your heart and as much as you want to kill me, you won't because Henry is what keeps you from doing it. He sees the goodness in you, and no matter what you think, I do too. I see the struggle you're going through and truth is, we're alike."

"We are not-"

"We are, Regina. Sure, I've got my parents and I love them but they can't always understand me. They don't know what it feels like to be rejected and misunderstood. Not the way I do, not the way you do. And somehow that makes us, I don't know… unique. Or maybe even special."

She is startled by the sincere tone in the blonde's voice. For a moment, she feels foolish for throwing fireballs earlier but a part of her was quite satisfied with that.

"Emma, I," she pauses for a second, "I don't want to kill you."

"See, that's a start!"

She rolls her eyes at the blonde's chipper remark, wanting to punch that happy smile of the foolish woman's face.

"Doesn't mean I forgive you."

"I can live with that."

Regina smiles shyly, slightly afraid to show some sort of genuine care for the other woman. Her eyes linger across blonde curls and down red leather until they wander up and meet emerald green orbs again. "I'm sorry, Emma. I don't know what came over me."

"Obviously the evil queen."

She snorts at the younger woman's smart remark, and a small smile spreads across her lips. "I do hope you're not intimidated by this outfit." She notices how Emma's eyes wander down her body, their gaze stopping at her cleavage and she grins contently, slightly proud over how this dress always makes people stare.

"Uhm," Emma hesitates. "Not at all."

She stares into green eyes again and notices something in them has changed. They look at her differently and she's intrigued by this change, and wants to explore more. She deliberately leans forward and smirks contently as the blonde's eyes once again wander down to her cleavage. Her smile quickly disappears as she realizes what she's doing. Is she that desperate of love that she's seducing the woman she just tried to kill? The conscious hit her and she feels pathetic for even trying.

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, for tonight. But I think I have to head back," she excuses herself and starts to walk.

"Regina, wait!"

She feels Emma grab her arm, rolling her from walking away. Getting annoyed now, she snaps her head around. "What?"

"He doesn't deserve you."

"Excuse me?" Regina glares at the blonde for overstepping the boundary.

"If he left you for someone else, he doesn't deserve you. You deserve someone better, Regina. Who understands you, who cares for you."

"He did all of that!"

"If he still cared, he would still be here."

"Why thank you, Emma, for rubbing my broken relationship in my face. I truly appreciate it." She says sarcastically, almost spitting out every word.

"No, I'm just saying-"

"What? Did you come here to gloat in my misery?"

"Forget it."

Regina laughs mockingly as the blonde brushes past her, a moment that makes the other woman stop in her steps.

"Actually, do you know what?" Emma bursts out, clearly annoyed.

"Do tell."

"_I_ care, Regina. And if you weren't too goddamn full of yourself, you would see that. I've always defended you, promised Henry to keep you safe, and I make one little mistake and you repay all of it by throwing fireballs at me? Thanks then, Regina. Guess I know your true colours now."

She is left flabbergasted by the blonde's words and watches the red leather-clad woman walk away with determined steps.

"You care?"

Emma stops, her back still turned to the queen. Regina hears the blonde answer a simple 'yes' and she takes in a sharp breath, realizing what this means. "I... Emma..." She stutters. "I'm meant to be with Robin, he's my soul mate and his tattoo," she feels herself rambling and she doesn't know what to say or do in this moment.

Soon, her eyes find Emma's and she swallows thickly, holding her breath.

"Has he ever seen your darkness? And forgiven it? Accepted it?" Emma closed the space between them. "If he's your soul mate, he should've done all that. He doesn't even know you killed his wife, does he? A soul mate should stay, and care. Where is he now, Regina?"

Regina clenches her jaw over the bitter truth, her brown orbs never once leaving the blonde and they keep glaring at each other for what seems like minutes.

"And he's not the only fucking one with a tattoo."

She gasps for air as the blonde crashes into her, their mouths meeting in a feverish kiss and she allows herself to relax into the kiss, to let go of all the anger, to just be. She feels hands roaming down her back and she grabs a hold of the collar of the red leather jacket, pulling the blonde even closer. Their bodies melt together along with their tongues, exploring every corner of each other's mouths. She moans approvingly, and deepens the kiss, causing her heart to speed up. The accelerating beat makes her warm inside, and the heat slowly makes its way down her body and starts to pool between her legs.

They momentarily break for air and Regina stares into emerald eyes, the shade of green darkened with frustration and lust.

"Regina."

"No talking," she cuts off and crashes her lips against Emma's to stop the talking, and suddenly feels herself getting pushed up against a tree. Her back hits the hard surface of the tree with a thump and she moans as the sheriff's hands tries to find themselves under her tight bodice, moving south, down the hem of her black leather pants.

"Not here," she requests but the hands doesn't stop, and soon finds the top of her underwear. She holds her breath, leaning her head back as Emma nips down her neck.

"Where?" Emma asks before starting to suck at the brunette's pulse point.

"Anywhere but the forest," Regina answers with eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of feeling wanted. "It smells."

"Use your magic."

Regina tries to concentrate, tries to move her hand to transport them elsewhere but she finds it hard when there's a hand between her legs. She bucks her hips forward, aching to be touched but Emma's hand remains still, teasing, waiting and seizing the moment. "Stop."

The saviour immediately halts the movements. "Shit, I'm sorry. We shouldn't do this."

"No, Emma," Regina says softly. "I can't concentrate to magic us to another place when your hands are all over me."

"Apologies, your majesty." Emma smirks.

"It's quite alright, dear."

She feels the magic rush through her body and is just about to conjure them away, when she sees a shadow among the trees. Her eyes meet another pair, and she freezes at the very spot. She curses herself internally. Oh, how she hates this damn forest.

She notices the blonde stare at her with a perplexed expression, but it takes a while for her to turn her attention away from the trees and the shadow. Not until two hands cup her cheeks, making her focus on the beautiful blonde in front of her.

"Regina?"

"He knows."

Emma frowns. "Who?"

"Robin. He's standing right over there. He came back for me."

* * *

><p>Opinions?<p>

I'm not turning this into a love triangle, because I'm not Adam Horowitz, ha!  
>This is a ReginaEmma story and it's going to be a little complicated so bare with me.  
>Reviews are greatly appreciated!<p>

EvilDuckling


	2. Chapter 2

Alright, continuing this. Thanks for all the follows and reviews so far!  
>I'm hoping to update at least once a week (therefor the shorter chapters) but I can't promise anything.<br>I have a slightly complicated story planned for the ladies, hope you enjoy the journey.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Regina's mouth is open in slight shock. Her crimson lipstick smeared after kissing the saviour, and she immediately regrets what she's done. She doesn't even care for Emma in that way does she? No, she thinks and swallows nervously as she glances at the outlaw. She notices his presence is closer now so she pushes the blonde away. This isn't right.

Her is heart breaking when her eyes reaches his. Confusion is written all over his face and she reflects his emotions with her face, and opens her mouth to speak.

"Robin," her voice trembles, "you came back."

Her eyes flicker back and forth between the thief and the sheriff, praying to higher powers that they won't start a fight because that's the last thing she wants right now.

"It's not what it looks like," she tries to explain, feeling how pathetic her words sound, since the man had caught her like a deer in the headlight.

"I see," is all he replies and nods.

She wants to fix it, make him choose her and she is momentarily happy he came back for her. "It's just a mistake," she utters, afraid to look at the blonde. "Clearly you realized you made one too, and that's why you're here. Robin, I-" she takes a step towards him, "I'm happy you're here."

She's disappointed when he doesn't take her hands or smile at her like he normally would. She notices something is wrong in his eyes, and she feels her heart break all over again when she realizes what it is. She shakes her head, not wanting this, not wanting to suffer through it again. Why is he here?

"You didn't come back for me," she says slowly, getting bitter as she speaks. "Why are you here, Robin?"

She's annoyed and conflicted now. This man is just one of many that toyed with her heart and she doesn't want this anymore, she had enough. "Tell me," she demands upsettingly.

"I was walking through the forest to clear my head. Roland and Marian are safe and sound at the camp, and I had to leave to collect my thoughts. I'm sorry about all this, Regina."

"I am too," she says coldly without any affection left in her voice.

"Maybe it could've been different if Marian didn't come back, but she's my wife-"

"And you're a man of honour." She fills in. "I told you I understand your choice, and I still do. But I want you to leave me alone. Don't approach me and don't apologize. It only-" she pauses. "It only hurts."

He nods understandingly. "I can do that. But I beg of you, Regina, don't wander in my forest, if Marian sees you-"

"_Your_ forest?" She snaps. "This is my town, thief."

And just like that, she's back in her evil queen persona, and she looks down on him with so much hatred that her eyes darken. "You should be lucky I even let you stay out here."

"I'm very grateful for that, Regina."

"If you want to stay in your forest, I'll gladly send you and your merry men back to the enchanted forest. It would be hard to raise a family amongst ogres, wouldn't it?" She smirks. "Go home to your wife, thief."

"Regina," he begs.

"You heard her," Emma interferes.

"Stay out of this," Regina snaps and furiously glares at the blonde. Last thing she wants is an argument between the three of them.

"He's the reason you're hurting."

She ignores the younger woman but feels the anger trickle within her, building up from her core. It spreads out to her fingertips so she clenches her fists, making her knuckles turn white.

"That is true, sheriff." Robin says. "But I'm not the one taking advantage of a hurting woman."

"What?" Emma looks appalled by the accusation.

Regina is not tolerating this. She just wants to leave this forest. Why did she return here over and over when she hates it so much? She's disappointed in her own behaviour. This is some sort of dark circle she never gets away from, it just keeps on going round and round and she wants nothing more than stop but every time she tries to break free it pulls her back in, like a moth to a flame. Why did it always happen? Because love is weakness and a part of her wishes her mother would've been wrong about love and how it made humans do foolish, reckless things. But alas, here she is, weak, broke to pieces, with a shattered heart and nothing but darkness around her. All because of love, a love that wasn't returned.

"Leave," she hisses, voice nothing but a whisper. They don't hear her so she straightens her back a bit and opens her mouth again.

"Leave."

Words are clear now, leaving her mouth with force and she angrily glares back and forth between the sheriff and the outlaw.

"You heard her," Emma says cockily.

"No," Regina stops her.

They both look at her confusingly, and Robin smirks in thought he's won.

"Both of you. Leave."

"Regina," they both say at the same time and tries to change the queen's mind but she won't hear it.

"You," she glares at Robin. "Go back to your family, and don't ever come near me again. You, with your so called honour, fake bravery and nothing but sweet talk to win me over, make me fall in love again, to believe someone was actually capable of loving me - with your chivalry and good aim - leave me alone. If I ever as much see you steal a glance at me, I will make sure your arrow will never shoot again."

"And you," she turns to Emma, "with your foolish obsession to play hero, always walking around in those hideous leather jackets, who continually ruins my happiness and I still haven't forgiven you for cutting down my apple tree, you, with your cocky smiles and I-never-get-blamed-for-anything-because-I'm-the-saviour, leave me alone. I'm not your friend! And on the contrary to what I said, I do want to kill you because right now, your presence bothers me to the point where I want to rip your heart out and crush it."

The thick silence is evident after her speech and no one moves. She almost rolls her eyes at their foolishness. Did they not hear her words?

"Leave!" She almost yells, and Robin hurries away and disappears between the trees. She angrily glares at the blonde, who stays put in her place.

"What exactly of what I just told you didn't you understand, Miss Swan?"

"I'm sorry," Emma says, which makes Regina slightly confused, but she's still utterly annoyed. "You were hurting and vulnerable, I shouldn't have said anything to you. But I don't regret it. I do care about you, Regina. So I will do as you want and leave you alone."

"First time you do as I please." Regina says, a bit calmer now.

"Should I keep Henry overnight?"

"That is for the best. I don't want him to see me like this," she looks down at her attire and sighs. "I'm always going to be this, am I? Evil."

"You're not evil, Regina. Fierce and hot-tempered perhaps," Emma starts.

She gets a flashback to what Robin said about her, _'bold and audacious perhaps, but evil, no'_ and the feeling of déjà-vu gives her chills down her spine. She doesn't want the blonde to remind her of the thief, it's too painful.

"Stop," she begs, almost pleadingly, cutting off the saviour's sentence.

They stare at each other and Regina doesn't dare to look directly into Emma's eyes, for she is afraid she might slip again when she notices that the blonde did tell the truth. She cares. It's too much, to have someone else care. Why does she care? All they do is argue. Sometimes they have their moments and stand on the same page, mostly when it comes to Henry and his well-being. Other than that, no. It never existed, this care, not in _that_ way did it?

It intrigues her to find out more about Emma. Maybe they aren't so unlike, after all. She sighs and nervously starts to fidget her fingers.

"It hurts too much, Emma. I can't be around you at the moment. You make me so-" she throws out her hands in frustration, fists them in the air before letting them fall to her side. She lets out an annoyed sound and throws the cape around her body. Just like that, she disappears in a mist of purple smoke, leaving the blonde alone in the darkening forest.

She ends up in her bedroom, alone. Unable to breath, the corset is getting tighter and tighter so she tries to rip it off with her bare hands but she's just not strong enough. Her hands are shaking, out of anger and hurt, and she ends up on the bedroom floor, her back against the door.

The black cape is still covered in dirt from her attack of the sheriff, her dark eyes teary and stains of makeup across her face, from crying, from fighting, from kissing that dumb, stupid blonde. She leans her head against the door, tries to take a deep breath. She holds it and closes her eyes, wishing the pain would stop. Almost suffocating, she withdraws the breath and takes another one.

Her heart is beating heavily in her chest, slowly trying to mend the broken pieces. For a moment she wishes it would stop but she reminds herself she has to keep going, keep fighting. But it is hard to do when darkness falls, when it is trying to eat her up from inside out. Why didn't she leave her heart buried in the forest, six feet under where it wouldn't hurt with every breath?

With a swift movement of her hand, she's no longer in her regal outfit, the corset is gone and so she takes several breaths just out of the relief. Her face is clean from make up, and the tear-stained cheeks have faded. The dark grey sweat pants feels so good compared to strain leather pants. She's comfortable like this, and no one but her son has seen her in these clothes because during the curse she built herself an image of a strict, cold-hearted mayor, and she simply could not let anyone see her in sweatpants and a cotton V-neck!

She's contemplating whether to stay on the floor like this or to move to the bed and bury herself underneath the duvet but she's too exhausted to even make an attempt to move.

A loud, hard knock echoed through the house and she sighed where she's sitting on the floor, burying her head in her hands. She doesn't want any visitors; she just wants to be alone. The knocking on the door continues and there's a faint hint of someone shouting her name.

Her body goes stiff as she hears footsteps coming closer to the door. She silently begs it's someone coming to end her misery, because she wants nothing more than to end the pain she's in.

There is a light knock on the bedroom door. She remains dead silent, and is barely breathing when someone tries to open the door from the outside.

"Regina."

She holds her breath and starts to cry when she realizes it's not the outlaw coming for her. No, he made his choice and she doesn't want him here for thinking of him only makes her heart ache.

It's Emma. Why did the persistent blonde come for her?

"Regina, I know you're in there."

She cries because she finally understands that the blonde told her the truth. _She cares._ Why else would she be here if she didn't? Unless if it was to ease her own conscience.

"I came to Storybrooke to bring happy endings. I won't stop until I bring yours too. Regina, please."

She wants to open the door but she's no able to move, not capable of stopping tears from fall as she listens to the blonde's heartfelt speech.

"I didn't lie when I said I care, Regina. I have always cared. I was only looking to be your friend."

_Friend?_ Regina confusingly looks up. No one in this town has ever told her they want to be her friend. She swiftly dries her tears with her hands. It's so silent now, one could hear a pin fall to the floor.

"Regina," Emma pleads. "Open the door. I know you're in there."

She doesn't reply for she doesn't know what to say. She just wants to crawl down in bed, cry herself to sleep and wake up without a heartache. But it's not that easy. She can still feel the blonde's presence even though the door separates them. Slowly, and a bit unsteady, she rises to her feet.

One hand is on the door handle, she grips it so carefully yet holds it so tight her knuckle whitens. She can't open the door, can she? What signals will she send out to the other woman? But she desperately wants someone to be there for her, someone to care, and someone who listens and understands. So she turns the handle, and slowly opens the door.

There's no one there. Of course, she thinks. No one will ever come for her.

"Regina?"

She hears a voice coming from the stairs, and soon the blonde appears at the top of the stairway. She holds her breath as her brown eyes meet emerald green orbs.

Suddenly the younger woman is in front of her, so close Regina can smell the leather on her jacket.

"Regina, please don't shut me out. Let me help."

"You've done enough," her voice trembles and tears start to form in her eyes.

"Regina."

They stare at each other and she notices that little hidden expression in the blonde's eyes, the same one she saw in the forest earlier. There's no doubt she still care, even though all the arguments they've had during the past year. Emma Swan is obnoxious and ungraceful, qualities Regina did not find attractive at all and just thinking about the woman makes her nauseous, makes her stomach flip and she is certain it's a feeling she does not want right now because she finds it so hard to define what it means. No, the feeling is simply too much for her to handle right now.

"You care," she says in a low voice as the tears break free and spills down her cheeks.

"More than you know."

It's too much, she didn't ask for this and she's not capable of handling this right now, it's too heavy on her heart. She feels weak, her body goes numb and when her knees cave underneath her, she hears the blonde yell out her name in despair.

A pair of strong arms catches her as she falls to the floor. She tries hard to keep her eyes open and soon finds herself lying securely in the blonde's arms. Her head aches with every beat of her heart and she frowns. She doesn't want to be held by the saviour so she tries to break free.

"Stay still." Emma's soothing voice sounds far away like in a daze.

Regina's eyes flicker open and she glances up at the blonde.

"Miss Swan," she croaks.

"I thought we were past formalities, Madame Mayor."

She watches a smile spread across the blonde's face and gets the strong urge to roll her eyes. "I'm not the mayor anymore," she says with a bitter tone in a low voice. "But I'll always be-"

"A queen," Emma finishes and smiles softly.

"Don't," she pleads. "It hurts."

"What hurts? Your head?"

She slowly shakes her head. "That you came for me, and he didn't."

"Shh," the saviour hushes. "Let's get you to bed."

Regina feels an arm around her waist as she stands up, and Emma supports her entire body as they walk together into the bedroom. She soon feels the light weight of the duvet atop her body and her eyes starts to close as she lay her head against the pillow.

"Don't take this as an invite to sleep with me," she comments and receives a snort from the blonde as an answer. She mutters out an incoherent smart remark before everything goes black and the darkness is surrounding her again.

* * *

><p>Regina faints and Emma catches her like the saviour she is!<br>Opinions/questions/requests? PM or review!

I appreciate reviews :)

EvilDuckling


End file.
